Hawthorne vs Poe Story Comparison

Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allen Poe may be counted among the leading American writers to have defined contemporary literature. These personalities significantly elevated short story standards, banking of every literary element in order for strengthening their styles. However, the two utilized these tools rather differently. On the one hand, Hawthorne delved into and discovered human nature’s realities, while, on the other, Poe examined the hearts of people by critiquing their thinking, values, and actions.

Both were able to emerge successful when it came to the exploration of short story details, employing words for developing a vibrant world for their readers. Via the genres of gothic and romance fiction, Poe and Hawthorne have effectively widened the horizons of readers, replacing unexciting, old stories with intriguing ones that deal with an enigmatic human reality as well as the inevitable realities underlying human nature. The novels and short tales of fiction teem with symbolism, attempting at offering deeper understandings of story plots.

Typically, symbolism forms a component of the context’s natural backdrop or is integrated into the characters’ development. The aforementioned two elements of writing prove central to the styles of Hawthorne and Poe. Hawthorne regards setting to be highly vital to a tale’s comprehension and practicality. However, the author doesn’t devote much time to illustrating several of his tales’ setting, in comparison to the depth of characters’ thinking described for readers’ benefit.

For instance, in the story titled “The Minister’s Black Veil”, the character of Mr. Hooper is described in the following words, “If he erred at all, it was by so painful a degree of self-distrust, that even the mildest censure would lead him to consider an indifferent action as a crime” (Hawthorne para10). The author’s profound character analysis and development ends up making one feel as though one is very well-acquainted with the character and understands his/her innermost thoughts.

On the other hand, consider Poe’s work titled “The Oval Portrait” where the author extravagantly describes the setting in the following words: “The chateau into which (we entered) was one of those piles of commingled gloom and grandeur which…had been temporarily and very lately abandoned.” (Poe 69).

The author’s characterization allows readers to view characters responses and situational transformations (consider the case of “Hop-Frog”; readers learn about Hop-Frog via his clever though underhanded plan of getting rid of his existing lifestyle) (Poe 15-25). As a majority of studied works by Hawthorne and Poe have a narrator’s character, this may be considered for understanding the writers’ intents for their tale. One may express intent via the work’s language.

Both writers employ sophisticated diction and vocabulary, indicating their work is intended for educated readers. Hawthorne, for instance, employs terms such as “visage”, “omniscient” and “venerable”, (Hawthorne, para16, 21 & 5). Meanwhile, Poe utilizes words such as “masquerade” and “gorgeous hall” for indicating the setting’s grandeur (“Hop-Frog”). Both writers display linguistic skills depicting their superior language command and their need for finding the right word that fits with their writing style and tale.

Though Poe and Hawthorne have comparable writing styles, the approach of the former was drawn from a darker aspect of romance fiction. The gothic mood generated believes in mankind’s heart’s dark truths; this forms the inspiration and goal for several tales composed by Poe. The gothic storytelling idea is evidenced in his work “The Oval Portrait”, which emphasises atmospheric settings, such as the dilapidated old building they had.